1.1. The letter combination “ng” gives the sound [N] when reading, which is absent in Russian. To achieve the correct pronunciation of this sound, pronounce the Russian sound [m], gradually opening your mouth.
1.2. When pronouncing the sound [N] between two vowels, make sure that the sound [N] is not accompanied by an overtone [g].
1.3. Before the sounds [l], [r], [w], the letter combination “ng” is read as a sound combination. For example, in the words:
English [‘iNgliF] English
angry [‘CNgri] angry, angry
language [‘lCNgiwdZ] language
2. Rules for reading the letter “q”
In writing, the letter “q” is always followed by the letter “u”. The letter combination “qu” before a vowel is read as. For example:
square area
quick
3. “Silent” consonants at the beginning of words
3.1. The letters “k” and “g” at the beginning of a word before the letter “n” are not readable. For example:
knit knit
know, to know
knife knife
gnaw gnaw
3.2. The letter "w" at the beginning of a word is not read before the letter "r". For example:
write
4. Rules for reading the letter combination “al”
4.1. Before the letter “k”, this letter combination is read as a sound:
chalk chalk
talk
walk
4.2. Before the letter “f”, the letter combination “al” is read as:
half
calf calf
4.3. Before all other consonants in a stressed syllable, this letter combination reads:
ball
tall
always [‘O:lwwz], [‘O:lwewz]
almost [‘O: lmoќst] almost
5. The letter combination “eu” and “ew” in most cases are read as:
new
Eugene [‘ju:dZi:n] Eugene (male name)
6. The letter combination “igh” reads like a diphthong:
sigh
light
Texts and exercises
~ Text 1 Text 1
Hello! My name is Mike. Hello! My name is Mike.
I am a student. I am a student.
I am at home. I'm home.
This is my room. This is my room.
The room is small and light. The room is small and bright.
I am sitting at the table. I'm sitting at the table.
I am reading a newspaper. I am reading a newspaper.
It is an English newspaper. This is an English newspaper.
The newspaper is very interesting. The newspaper is very interesting.
~ Text 2 Text 2
What are you doing, Kate? What are you doing, Kate?
I am writing a letter. I'm writing a letter.
And you? What are you doing? And you? What are you doing?
I am reading. I am reading.
Is Henry at home? Henry at home?
Yes, he is in his room now. Yes, he is at home. He is in his room now.
He is singing. He sings.
Henry is a good singer. Henry is a good singer
(sings well).
What are Helen and Mary doing? What are Helen and Mary doing?
Helen and Mary are playing
with a ball, and Tom is sleeping. ball while Tom is sleeping.
He is very small. He is very small.
Active Dictionary
room
light
table [‘tewbl] table
at the table
newspaper [‘nju:s1pewp] newspaper
English [‘wNglwF] English
very
interesting [‘wntrstwN] interesting
to do
letter [‘let]
to sing
singer [‘swN] singer
to play
ball
to sleep
small
in in (preposition)
with (preposition)
Note.
The combination of the personal form of the verb “to be” (to be): am, are, is and the verb with the suffix “-ing” denotes an action that is happening at the moment. Thus the phrase
“What are you doing?”
means “What are you doing (now)?”
“I am writing. I am writing now)."
You will learn more about this grammar material in the lessons of the main English course.
>English sounds and letters >Lesson 16
Pronunciation of the consonant sound [ŋ], sound combination [ŋg], letter combination ng, sound combination [ŋk].
On this page you can find the pronunciation of the consonant sound [ŋ], the sound combination [ŋg], the letter combination ng, the sound combination [ŋk].
Let's study the consonant sound [ŋ].
This sound corresponds to the letter combination ng.
For example, along [ə "lɔŋ] - along, along; among [ə "mʌŋ] - between, among; amazing [ə "meiziŋ] - amazing; ceiling ["si: liŋ] - ceiling; annoying [ə "nɔiiŋ] - annoying; falling ["fɔ: liŋ] - falling; meeting ["mi:tiŋ] - meeting.
Now consider the sound combination [ŋg].
It is conveyed by the combination of letters ng before the vowels and consonants r, l and w.
For example, mango ["mæŋgəu] - mango; finger ["fiŋgə] - finger; linger ["liŋgə] - to delay; jingle ["dʒiŋ gl] - ringing; congress ["kɔŋgres] - congress.
Let's study the sound combination [ŋk].
It corresponds to the letter combination nk.
For example, drink - drink; rink - skating rink; donkey ["dɔŋki] - donkey; blink - instant; ink - ink; sink - sink; rank - row.
This lesson is short enough and ends there. New sound combinations, letter combinations and sound were studied here.
Consider in the key of the rules of reading and pronunciation with the ability to listen to each letter combination in the examples. For brevity, the basic rules for reading letter combinations are given in the tables.
Reading letter combinations
Reading vowel combinations
The table below shows the main (often occurring) set of vowel combinations (see table No. 1), Russian and English transcription with example words and notes.
| letter combination | Transcription | Examples (listen) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ee, ea | (AND:) | 🔊 see , 🔊 sea | |
| ai, ai | (HEY) | 🔊 Strai ght , 🔊 May | |
| oo | (W:) | 🔊 too | before a consonant, except for k, r; also at the end of a word |
| oo | [u] (U) | 🔊 boo k | before the letter k; exception: 🔊 goo d |
| oor | [ɔ:] (U:) | 🔊 doo r | |
| ow | (AU), [əu] (EU) | 🔊 now, 🔊 window [‘windəu] |
|
| oi, oi | [ɔi] (OH) | 🔊 coi n , 🔊 employ | |
| ou | (AU) | 🔊 ou t | |
| oa | [əu] (eu) | 🔊 coa-t |
Reading letter combinations with consonants
Below (in table No. 2) are the main letter combinations of consonants.
| Letter (letter combination) | Transcription | When to use | Examples (listen) |
|---|---|---|---|
| b | [b] | in all cases | 🔊 b egin |
| mb | [m] | b is not readable at the end of a word after the letter m | 🔊 climb |
| c | [s] | before vowels e, i, y | 🔊 c ity [‘siti], 🔊 nic e , 🔊 c ycle |
| [k] | in all other cases | 🔊 with ap | |
| k | [k] | in all cases | 🔊 kite |
| ck | [k] | in all cases | 🔊 black |
| kn | [n] | at the beginning of a word | 🔊 kn ow |
| g | [ʤ] | before vowels e, i, y | 🔊 g entleman [ˈʤentlmən] |
| [g] | in all other cases | 🔊 g ate Exceptions: 🔊 g ive , 🔊 g et | |
| j | [ʤ] | in all cases | 🔊 jacket [ˈʤækɪt] |
| z | [z] | in all cases | z oo |
| h | [h] | in all cases | 🔊 h appy [ˈhæpɪ] |
| sh | [ʃ] | in all cases | 🔊 sh e [ʃiː] |
| tch | [ʧ] | in all cases | 🔊 catch [ |
| ch | [ʃ] | in words of French origin | 🔊 ch ampagne [ʃæmˈpeɪn] |
| [k] | 🔊 sch ool, 🔊 ch emistry [ˈkemɪstrɪ] | ||
| [ʧ] | in all other cases | 🔊 ch alk [ʧɔːk] | |
| th | [θ] | at the beginning and end of significant words | 🔊 th ink [θɪŋk] |
| [ð] | at the beginning of functional words (pronouns, articles) | 🔊 th e [ðiː] | |
| in significant words between vowels | 🔊 clothes | ||
| x | before a consonant and at the end of words | 🔊 tex t | |
| before a stressed vowel | 🔊 ex am [ɪgˈzæm] | ||
| ph | [f] | 🔊 ph oto [ˈfəʊtəʊ] | |
| ps | [s] | in words of Greek origin | ps ychology |
| r | [r] | before any vowel other than a dumb one | 🔊 rose |
| s | [s] | before consonants, at the beginning of a word, at the end of a word after a voiceless consonant | 🔊 bes t , 🔊 s tart , 🔊 cats |
| [z] | at the end of a word after a voiced consonant or vowel, between two vowels | 🔊 plays , 🔊 vis it | |
| ss | [s] | anyway | 🔊 class |
| ng | before sounds [l], [r], [w] | 🔊 Eng land [ˈɪŋglənd] | |
| [n] | in all other cases | 🔊 lan guage [ˈlæŋgwɪʤ] | |
| nk | in all cases | 🔊 bank | |
| w | [w] | at the beginning of a word | 🔊 w e |
| wh | [w] | if these letters are followed by any letter except o | 🔊 why |
| [h] | if these letters are followed by o | 🔊 who | |
| wr | [r] | at the beginning of a word before a vowel | 🔊 write |
Reading combinations of vowels with consonants
Finally, consider the last type of letter combinations in English (see table No. 3).
| letter combination | Transcription | When to use | Examples (listen) |
|---|---|---|---|
| wa | in all cases | 🔊 water [ˈwɔːtə] | |
| war | in all cases | 🔊 war | |
| wor | in all cases | 🔊 work k | |
| or, er | [ə] | at the end of words in an unstressed position | 🔊 doctor [ˈdɔktə], 🔊 computer |
| qu | before vowels | 🔊 quite | |
| al | [ɔ:] | in all cases | 🔊 all l [ɔ: l], 🔊 tal k |
| an | before consonants | 🔊 plan t | |
| af | 🔊 staff f | ||
| al | in the letter combination al, the letter l is not readable | 🔊 hal f | |
| as | 🔊 as k | ||
| igh | in all cases | 🔊 night t |
Knowing letter combinations in English, namely their use and pronunciation, you will learn how to read correctly! Good luck to you, dear friend!
Elena Britova
Academic manager of the TransLink-Education company, certified trainer in speed reading and memory development.
The English alphabet has 26 letters and 44 sounds. If in some languages each letter is responsible for only one sound, then in English one letter can convey up to four sounds, and in some cases even up to seven. Hence the favorite saying of the English: "We write Liverpool, but we read Manchester."
In addition, articulation (movement of the tongue, lips, mouth) is significantly different from Russian. There are sounds similar to Russians, but when they are pronounced, the organs of articulation work differently.
If you want to get rid of the accent, or at least get closer to English speech, all the differences must be taken into account. Here are some tips on how to get yourself the correct English pronunciation.
1. Learn the alphabet
Many adults consider this a child's exercise. But one day they will definitely ask you: “Please, spell your name” (“Spell your name”). This is where knowledge of letters comes in handy English alphabet. In addition, there may be letters in abbreviations, street names, house numbers and flight numbers, and, for example, at the airport they will definitely be pronounced as in the alphabet.
2. Practice articulation when pronouncing consonants
Once you have mastered the letters of the alphabet, feel free to move on to learning the sounds they convey. Accustom yourself to the correct articulation right away. Learn to pronounce sounds separately first, bring to automatism, and then move on to words, phrases and sentences.
In English, there are consonant sounds that at first glance (or rather, hearing) are pronounced like in Russian.
1. Check where the tip of the tongue is when pronouncing the sounds [d] - [t], [n], [r], [s], [z]. Sticking to your teeth? Congratulations, you pronounce the Russian alphabet. In native English, the tip of the tongue at this time is on the alveoli (the largest tubercle in the upper palate). Try it. Now you get pure English sounds. Practice: bed - ten , not , rat , sun , zoo .
2. Depict a hare when pronouncing the sounds [f] - [v]. The upper teeth must be placed on the lower lip. Work out: fat - vet.
3. Remember that the sound [l] is always hard: London [ˈlʌndən].
4. When practicing the sound [w], take a candle: this The best way learn how to pronounce it correctly. Fold your lips into a tube and pull forward (like small children reach out for a kiss), and then smile sharply. Then this sound will come out. When training, hold the candle at a distance of 20-25 cm from the lips. If the flame goes out when you pronounce the sound, then you are doing everything right. Practice: say the word well.
5. Warm your hands when practicing the [h] sound. It has nothing to do with Russian [x]. Imagine that you are very cold and are trying to warm your hands with your breath. You bring them to your lips and exhale. During exhalation, a light, barely audible English sound[h]. As in the word home.
6. Practice the sound [ŋ] with a bad cold or imagine that you have one. There is no such sound in Russian, it is transmitted by the combination ng in English. Press the tongue like a spatula against the upper palate and let the sound through the nose. It reminds a little of [n], if you pronounce it with a severe cold. Remember that your tongue is still touching the alveoli, not the teeth. Practice: interesting [ˈɪnt(ə)rɪstɪŋ].
7. Be a snake and a bee for training [ð] - [θ]. These sounds are absent in Russian and are formed by combining the letters th in English.
[ ð ] - ringing sound. Bite the tip of your tongue lightly with your teeth and pronounce the sound [z]. If during training the lower lip and tongue are tickled, then you are doing everything right. If not, then you may have bitten the tip of your tongue too hard, loosen your teeth a little. Say the word this [ðɪs], do you get it?
[θ] - dull sound. The articulation is the same, only we pronounce the sound [s]. To practice the hollow sound [ θ ], say the word thank [θæŋk].
3. Learn the four types of syllables for the correct pronunciation of vowels
The reading of vowels depends on the type of syllable in which they are:
- open (syllable ends in a vowel);
- closed (syllable ends in a consonant);
- vowel + r;
- vowel + re.
In the first type of syllable - open - vowels are read as in the alphabet (that's where knowledge of the alphabet came in handy!). For example: plane , nose , tube , Pete .
In the second type, you need to learn by heart the pronunciation of each vowel:
- [æ] - open sound, not long. It is conveyed by the letter A in a closed syllable. Test yourself: sit at the table, straighten up, put one elbow on the surface, bend the brush under the chin. Between the chin and the hand you will have a place, unless, of course, you have straightened your back. Now we lower the lower jaw down so that it reaches the brush, and pronounce [e]. Practice with the word bag.
- [e] is often confused with the previous sound. When pronouncing [e], you just need to slightly raise the corners of your lips up, as if smiling slightly. These are two different sounds, and they are not similar to each other, and even more so to Russian [e]. Practice: pet .
- Brief sounds[i], [ɔ], [ʌ], [u] are pronounced intensively, not in a singsong voice: big, box, bus, book [bʊk].
In the third and fourth types of syllables, the letter R not readable, it only forms a syllable and lengthens the vowel sound: car, sort, turn.
, [ɔ:] - special sounds. Imagine that you are at a doctor's office examining your throat. The root of your tongue is pressed with a stick and asked to say "Aaaa." It is in this position that the tongue should be when pronouncing the sounds [a] and [o]. If at the same time you want to yawn, then you are on the right track! Try it right now: car , sort .
4. Remember the correct accents
Most often in English the stressed syllable is the first. If you need to pronounce a word, but there is no one to ask or there is no dictionary at hand, put the stress on the first syllable. Of course, it is better to immediately memorize words with the correct stress or check yourself in a dictionary.
5. Don't Forget Four Important Rules
- There are no soft consonants in English.
- Voiced consonants are not stunned at the end of a word.
- Vowels are long (in transcription they are denoted by [:]) and short.
- No extra - especially sharp - movements of the lips.
Learn a few phrases to practice correct pronunciation:
- Very well [‘veri ‘wel].
- World Wide Web or WWW [‘w əuld ‘waid ‘web www].
- Eleven benevolent elephants [ɪˈlevn bəˈnevələnt ˈelɪfənts].
- Stupid superstition [ˈstjuːpɪd ˌsuːpəˈstɪʃ(ə)n].
- Pirates Private Property [ˈpaɪrəts praɪvət ˈprɒpəti].
And remember: different sounds have a semantic function. For example, man ("man", "man") and men ("men"); ship [ʃip] ("ship") and sheep [ʃi:p] ("sheep") and so on. Many people read the word three (“three”) as (which means “tree”) or (“freedom”), not taking into account that th [θ] is read differently, it simply does not exist in Russian (remember the exercise "bee"). Knowing correct pronunciation words, you definitely will not get into a mess!
